Buttoner



(NoModex.) f -,J.'R'. LATHAMVX; F. E. WILLIAMS.

` BUTTONER.

10.511,534. Patented Dec. 26, .1893.

JmeRLama/m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. LATIIAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND FRANK E. \VILLIAMS, OF ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA.

B U TTO N E R SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 511,534, dated Deceinber 26, 1893.

v Application filed February 18. 1893. SerialNo 462,937. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Beit known that we, JAMES R. LATHAM, re-

siding at New York, in the county of Newv held by a shoe ily or flap or the parts of a' glove, corset or other article, over upon and engage a male member of said fastening carried by an adjacent part, to detachably lock the two parts together.

The object of the invention is to provide a device that will obviate the employment of ordinary buttonholes and buttons on boots or shoes and other articles, to prevent tearing away of the several supports of said parts and also the insertion of a buttoning device through an opening, by applying the power directly to the exterior of one member of the fastening and drawing on the same to pull it over upon the engaging member of said fastening and thereby quickly secure the two parts detachably to each other.

The invention consists of the construction, arrangement, and combination of the parts in relative detail and as a whole, as will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, together with allequivalent or analogous devices that may hereinafter appear.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective View of one forni of the buttoner contemplating the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of pieces of material carrying the male and female members of a fastening, showing the buttoner applied thereto and in the position assumed thereby while performing the operation of buttoning. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a further forni of the device. Fig. 4 isasimilar view showing a further change in the arfy rangement of the parts. Fig. 5 is a similar View showing a change in the formation of the engaging end of the arm.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates a shank, which, as shown in Fig. l, is provided with a suitable handle or grip 2, and has the lower end formed with a heel 3, an intermediate arch 4, and an upwardly-extending toe or linger 5 at the terminating end thereof. At a suitable distance" above the said heel, arch, and toe or finger, an arm 6 is pivotally connected to the shank and consists of a flat plate having the rear end bifurcated to straddle or embrace the shank 1 and the opposite parts forming the walls of said bifurcation bent down or given a torsional twist, as at 7, to form ears 8, that are placed against opposite sides of the shank and secured by a pivot passing transversely therethrough. The body of the arm 6 is slightly concave and its outer end slightly convex to provide a downward deiection' of the said outer end, and wherein is formed'an elliptical opening 9, transversely arranged to conveniently andfreely engage the exteriorlyexposed female part of the fastening without binding.

In Fig. 3 the lower end of the shankis continued regularly in curved form without the arch, and the arm 6 is constructed of wire.

In Fig. 4 the arm 6 is a spring-arm and the lower terminating end of its shank is bifurcated to take around the shank or fiange of the male member of the fastening.

In Fig. 5 the end of the arm that is free is crooked or formed with a hook after the mauner of the ordinary form of button-hook.

In all the forms shown, or analogous other forms of a kindred nature, it will be understood that all parts are to be properly proportioned for relative coaction, and the principle of operation is substantially the same in each form and is asvfollows. The toe, finger, or ter,

minating end of the shank l, is caused to engage the lower part of the male member ot' a fastening, located on one part or section of an article, and the opening 9, or engaging end of the arm 6, is caused to contact with the exteriorlyexposed head or enlargement of the female member of a fastening adjacently situated on another part of said article, and

' by drawing backwardly on the shank through the medium of the handle thereof, the lower IOO end of said shank is forced closely against the said male member and at the same time the female member, together with the part to which it is secured,is drawn over on and connected to the said male member, thereby securing the two parts of the article to which the fastenings may be attached.

In Fig. 2 the fastening is shown of a peculiar form, and therein the toe or finger is shown as entering the male member of the fastening to force the same upwardly into the female member. The arch in this form passes over the floor r base at the rear and the heel fuicrums on an adjacent part of the article to which the fastening is applied. By thisarrangement dragging or pulling of the male member is prevented, and the leverage is exerted to raise the same and connect it with the female member instead of twisting and loosening it.

It is obviously apparent that changes in the form,proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having described this invention, what is claimed as new is- A buttoner composed of a rigid shank 1aving a lower curved hooklcss end, and an arm attached directly tosaid` shank above the terminating end thereof, and having an engagingloop at the free end thereof, forming from the point of attachment two fastening arms of substantially the saine length so that the said loop will extend across the curved part of said shank, and adapted to drop over the said hookless end of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto atxed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES R. LATI-IAM. FRANK E. WILLIAMS. \Vitnesses:

J. H. SIGGERS, E. G. SIGGERs. 

